E3 Day 1 Recap: Nintendo Crowns Tournament Winners, Makes New Announcements throughout the Day

Nintendo finished the first day of the E3 video game trade show in Los Angeles with two competitive champions and a host of bonus announcements that built on today’s Nintendo Direct: E3 2018 video presentation.

Nintendo crowned ZeRo of Chile the champion of the Super Smash Bros. Invitational 2018 tournament. A longtime player of Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, ZeRo defeated seven other top-ranked Super Smash Bros. players from around the world to successfully defend his title from Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. Invitational in 2014. ZeRo emerged as the top player of the new Super Smash Bros. Ultimate game for the Nintendo Switch system. In the final match, ZeRo used Mario to defeat runner-up MkLeo of Mexico, who played as Sonic.

In this photo provided by Nintendo of America, Masahiro Sakurai takes the stage with players before they battle it out in the Super Smash Bros. Invitational 2018 tournament on Tuesday, June 12, 2018, at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles.(Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision for Nintendo/AP Images)

In both head-to-head and two-on-two matches, the tournament showcased new fighters like Ridley from the Metroid series and returning favorites from past games in the franchise.

In other competitive news, the GG BoyZ of Japan emerged triumphant at the Splatoon 2 World Championship. Made up of Taiji, etona, yamamicchi and Dynamon, the GG BoyZ inked their way to glory by defeating BackSquids, the German team representing Europe in the competition.

For fans who are excited to jump into new Splatoon 2 action for themselves, Nintendo revealed new details about the Splatoon 2 Octo Expansion DLC:

The new Octo Expansion for Splatoon 2 launches on the evening of Wednesday, June 13. This first paid DLC for Splatoon 2 adds a new single-player mode that features 80+ missions, new stories and the ability to play as an Octoling for the first time. The full version of the game is required to use Octo Expansion, which will be available in Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch for $19.99.

An amiibo three-pack of an Octoling Girl, an Octoling Boy and an Octoling Octopus are coming later this year.

Nintendo will continue to support Splatoon 2 with free updates to gear, weapons and stages through the end of 2018.

Today’s Nintendo Treehouse: Live | E3 2018 show was host to some additional reveals throughout the day as well:

New amiibo figures for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate were shown for the first time. These figures, which included Ridley from the Metroid franchise and Inkling from the Splatoonfranchise, go on sale at the same time as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Nintendo also confirmed that a Daisy amiibo figure was on the way.

Viewers got their first in-depth look at live gameplay of the new Super Smash Bros. Ultimate game for Nintendo Switch.

Viewers also got their first look at live gameplay for the Super Mario Party game for Nintendo Switch.